Zona Río is where Tijuana's wealth and creative energy concentrated when the city grew beyond the old Centro. Named for the channelled Tijuana River that forms its western boundary, it's a broad boulevard district of office towers, shopping centres, restaurants, and cultural institutions built mostly in the 1970s and 80s.
CECUT, the city's main cultural center, anchors one end of the neighbourhood. The Paseo de los Héroes — a wide divided boulevard with large circular traffic roundabouts, each featuring an oversized monument — runs through the centre. Monuments to Cuauhtémoc, Abraham Lincoln, and Miguel Hidalgo occupy the islands between the traffic lanes.
Zona Río is where you eat well in Tijuana. The concentration of Baja Med restaurants — the fusion cuisine that made Tijuana a foodie destination — is highest here. After CECUT and the museums close, this neighbourhood stays active until late.